Finding an Alternative to Suicide (Again)
Over the last couple of weeks, I have found myself feeling increasingly inadequate and hopeless. I have been questioning my decisions and feeling incredibly lonely and isolated. Many people experiencing COVID-19 have been feeling isolated and overwhelmed, but
Breaking the Cycle
Walking into my first Al‑Anon meeting, I was nervous, not to mention 15 minutes late. I sat down and started to talk. After the meeting, people came up and hugged me, thanked me for coming, and told me
A Safe Place
I didn’t attend Al‑Anon meetings during the 16 years of my husband’s sobriety. When he relapsed and isolated, I shut down and isolated. I didn’t tell anyone of this, hoping he could beat it like before, and we
Talking Myself into Joining
Hands shaking, heart racing, stomach churning—it was all I could do to hit the “Join” button on my first online Al‑Anon meeting. It was almost more anxiety than I could take. I actually hung up three times before
Carrying Al-Anon’s Message of Hope
Next month, many people across the United States and Canada turn their focus to the world of recovery. It’s a unique opportunity to shine a bit of the spotlight on Al‑Anon recovery. As our loved ones are either
Reclaiming My Hope for the Future
Growing up with an alcoholic father, all the dysfunction seemed so normal. Only recently did I realize everything I experienced growing up was anything but that. The fighting, hiding, escaping, trying hard to fade in the background, and
The Healing I Didn’t Expect
I didn’t grow up in an alcoholic family. I grew up in an alcoholic world. Every grown‑up I knew drank too much—it was the norm. Of all the immediate family, my mother, a mean drunk, was the only
My Lifelong Recovery Tool
Detachment was the topic of my very first Al‑Anon meeting so many years ago. My son was 18 years old and I was frightened for his health, safety, and future. He was living on his own, renting a
“Al-Anon Faces Alcoholism” Reminds Me of the Gift of Choices
Having Al-Anon literature in my hands is as important to me today as it was when I was a newcomer. I was in crisis and emotional pain. I took home every Al-Anon pamphlet I saw at meetings to
Group Problems and Spiritual Principles
I recently learned about a conflict occurring at a group meeting in a limited access facility. A member of the group researched the subject in the “Digest of Al-Anon and Alateen Policies” section of the Al-Anon/Alateen Service Manual
You Became My Family
When I was a child, I was adopted into a family of three boys. I was a very quiet little girl and did whatever my parents told me to do. My father was a proclaimed alcoholic, though I
One at a Time
I found my way to Al‑Anon when I accepted that my life was uncontrollable because of my loved ones’ abuse of drugs and alcohol, and it changed my life in so many positive ways. Perhaps the most helpful